NYE

New Year’s Eve means it’s time to start making those healthy resolutions and promising to go to the gym every day, right? Wrong. After reading an article by Thought Catalog, I decided to not create a New Year Resolution list. Rather than writing a list of things I hope to accomplish I can’t stop thinking about all the things I want to stop doing. Maybe that’s still a resolution… but whatever.
Here it is:

• I want to stop caring what other people think | Not just talk about it.
• I want to stop getting on Facebook and comparing my life to others.
• I want to stop complaining about the way I wish things were | and be grateful for the way they are.
• I want to not give a sh*+ about how many likes my photo on Instagram has.
• I want to stop and smell the flowers.
• I want to stop talking | and listen more.
• I want to stop judging.
• I want to stop having unrealistic expectations.
• I want to stop talking about how stressed I am. 

I am extremely grateful for everything this past year has brought me. There's been some pretty life changing things and I now know that everything happened for a reason. 

I'm not always 100% sure what those reasons are in the moment. But I'll soon find out.

The best has yet to come. 

Taking Chances.

We can tell ourselves we will never do this or that but no matter what, I strongly believe, whatever is meant to be will be. So cliche... I know. But taking a leap of faith has so many benefits;

• You will end up discovering something about yourself you would’ve never known.
• You won’t ever have to wonder ‘what if.’
• You will grow as a person.
• Taking chances may not always turn out for the best, but there is always a lesson to learn. The best moments happen when things aren’t planned. 
• You may loose something good, but there's a chance you might gain something great.

I think I know how I want a situation to turn out and before I know it, it is exactly the opposite from what I planned. And it ends up being perfectly imperfect. I had to stop focusing on what could go wrong and believing in the things that could go right.

Rules were meant to be broken. Experiences are meant to happen. And sometimes things just end up working out. 

He knows what's up.

Life happened on the way to making plans.

I l o v e you October.

Not only is it the month to celebrate Pumpkin (my soon to be 9 year old pom baby)
but it's also the month of change.
Leaves are changing colors the thermometer is changing numbers and things are cooking in crock-pots.
I love fall - - there is something about the crisp air and boots with scarfs.
October is the month of taking personal inventory.
Currently, I'm holding on to a lot of pride that I'm dying to get rid of and I'm thinking October is the month to do it.
So many people boast about how they don't care what other people think,
they are just out there "doing me"
they are "dancing like no one is watching"
As much as I love that philosophy it's one of the hardest things for me to accomplish.

I've been told that not giving a f*<k comes with age. Can't wait.

Football Season Has Arrived

Over the weekend I was introduced to these fancy (super easy) buffalo chicken rolls. Perfect for Sunday football.

Ingredients:

• 12 egg roll wrappers (buy the ones that are roughly 4" x 4" square)
• 1 cup cooked and shredded chicken (6 ounces)
• 1/2- 2/3 cup Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
• 1 cup crumbled blue cheese (4 ounces)
• 1 cup broccoli slaw or coleslaw (dry)
• Blue cheese dressing, for serving

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lay egg roll wrappers on a clean work surface. In a small bowl, stir chicken* (see note below) and hot sauce until well coated, using more or less sauce depending on your spice preference. The meat should be moist with sauce.
2. Begin by placing one tablespoon of the broccoli slaw on the diagonal of the bottom right corner of one of the wrappers. Next, place 2 tablespoons of shredded spicy chicken evenly on top of the slaw. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the blue cheese crumbles over the chicken. Do not overfill.
3. To fold: Fold the bottom right corner over the stuffing mixture so that it covers it completely, with the tip of the corner now pointing to the center of the egg roll wrapper. Fold in the bottom left corner, followed by the right, so that you now have formed an envelope. Roll the wrap upward one time, leaving the top left corner open. Wet your index finger in the small bowl of water and press to moisten the top left corner. Now fold that down on top of the filled roll, sealing it like you would an envelope.
4. Repeat with remaining rolls.
5. Place the rolls on a wire rack set on top of a cookie sheet (or just on a greased cookie sheet) coated with nonstick cooking spray. Spritz each roll evenly with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the rolls are crisp and beginning to turn a light golden brown.

*Note: To make the chicken, place 1 large breast (about 6 to 8 ounces) in a small saucepan and fill with enough cold water just to cover the chicken. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat slightly, then simmer for about 12 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Drain and let cool before shredding with two forks, pulling against the grain of the meat.

{{Nutrition Information for 1 Roll: Calories 103, Fat 3.2g, Cholesterol 19.5mg, Sodium 237.7mg, Carb 9.9g, Fiber 0.5g, Sugars 0.3g, Protein 8.1g}}

Take a breath::

Yesterday I did some trail running for my first time. I didn’t really know what to expect but by the time I showed up to meet the group I was feeling pretty nervous. We were in Riverside State Park. As I looked around I started to get a little intimidated by the hills and big rocks, it was one of those “Oh, shit. What did I get myself into?” moments.
Fortunately I rode there with another girl so there was no turning back now.

We started out going over the long swinging bridge in the park and my heart started to race. Once we got moving I instantly was happy I made the decision to try something new.

For me, the most difficult part is getting out there.

I was really happy with my pace and I was feeling pretty good about the fact that I kept up with a gal who is training for a half marathon, then my ego was shot when I almost biffed it on a huge rock. I was quickly reminded to not let my head get too big and just remember to put one foot in front of the other.

Running is a funny sport like that.

It was a nice change from my normal running group, being away from the city and smog, being able to inhale such fresh air. I especially enjoyed trail running because it got me to think about absolutely nothing other than, don’t fall, don’t fall, don’t fall. I was able to let go of all my “life problems” and become focused on one thing [this is extremely difficult for someone who is obsessed with multitasking.]

Find a path and R U N.

Twenty something

I have been putting a lot of pressure on myself lately to try and figure out my life purpose. It might have a little something to do with turning 25 and getting out of a somewhat serious relationship.

I have to give myself a daily reminder that it’s okay that I don’t have everything figured out, it’s okay that I’m not engaged, own a house, drive my dream car and it’s really okay that I don’t know what I want to be when I grow up.

Sometimes it takes having an emotional breakdown to get to this and sometimes those are worth having every once in a while.

I am a quarter of a century, I am single and I have no clue what I am doing with my life.
AND IT’S OKAY!

The things I do know are (and not limited to):
→ My work life balance is on an even-keel
→ Today I have hobbies
→ I am as sick as my secrets
→ I control my attitude
→ I never want to stop learning
→ Nothing worth having comes easy
→ I have amazing friends and family
→ I accept change
→ Nothing is impossible
→ Everything I do, I do with passion.